--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: 1. Find a subject you care about. 2. Do…" description: "\"1. Find a subject you care about. 2. Do not ramble, though. 3. Keep it simple. 4. Have the guts to cut. 5. Sound like yourself. 6. Say what you mean to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f82/kurt-vonnegut-41_books_1-find-a-subject-you-care-about-2-do-not_2768727.jpg" --- # 1. Find a subject you care about. 2. Do not ramble… ![“1. Find a subject you care about. 2. Do not ramble, though. 3. Keep it simple. 4. Have the guts to cut. 5. Sound like yourself. 6. Say what you mean to say. 7. Pity the readers.” quote by Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f82/kurt-vonnegut-41_books_1-find-a-subject-you-care-about-2-do-not_2768727.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f82/kurt-vonnegut-41_books_1-find-a-subject-you-care-about-2-do-not_2768727.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f82/kurt-vonnegut-41_books_1-find-a-subject-you-care-about-2-do-not_2768727.jpg) > “1. Find a subject you care about. 2. Do not ramble, though. 3. Keep it simple. 4. Have the guts to cut. 5. Sound like yourself. 6. Say what you mean to say. 7. Pity the readers.” [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Write clearly, stay focused, be authentic, and respect readers; edit ruthlessly to keep the message pure. **In simple terms:** Write simply, be yourself, edit hard. Key Takeaway Edit for clarity and honesty. Themes writing authenticity editing audience selfexpression Mood thoughtful direct Type advice instructional When to use this quote - drafting a novel - blog post - academic paper - speech writing - personal journal Key Concepts clarity voice conciseness selfdiscipline Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance honesty with brevity? - What cuts will improve reader engagement? A Different Perspective May over‑editing strip genuine voice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Cut Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cut-sound-3226138/) [Cutting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cutting/) [Guts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guts/) [Keep it simple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/keep-it-simple/) [Like Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-say-273626/) [Like you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-you/) [Like yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-yourself/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Mean Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean-say-283898/) [Pity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pity/) [Ramble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ramble-642734/) [Ramble Simple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ramble-simple-3226137/) [Reader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reader/) [Simple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simple/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) [Subjects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subjects/) ## Related quotes > [“It’s as though you were pointing a gun at my head. It’s just a way of getting somebody to say something they probably don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/it-s-as-though-you-were-pointing-a-gun-at-my-head-it-s-just-a-way-of/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [I love you, Eliza,” I said. She thought about it. “No,” she said at last, “I don’t like it.” “Why not?” I said. “It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-love-you-eliza-i-said-she-thought-about-it-no-she-said-at-last-i/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [As I ramble through life, whatever be my goal, I will unfortunately always keep my eye upon the doughnut and not upon the whole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-wasserstein/as-i-ramble-through-life-whatever-be-my-goal-i-will-unfortunately/) [Wendy Wasserstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-wasserstein/) > [As you ramble on through life, brother, whatever be your goal: keep you eyes upon the donut, and not upon the hole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-banks/as-you-ramble-on-through-life-brother-whatever-be-your-goal-keep-you/) [Murray Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-banks/) > [Whether you live in the city or in the country, creating time for a leisurely ramble is an easy thing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/whether-you-live-in-the-city-or-in-the-country-creating-time-for-a/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [My wicked heart will ramble on in spite of myself. (Arabella)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/my-wicked-heart-will-ramble-on-in-spite-of-myself-arabella/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [No pleasure here on earth I find For in this world I'm bound to ramble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-stanley/no-pleasure-here-on-earth-i-find-for-in-this-world-i-m-bound-to-ramble/) [Ralph Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-stanley/) > [I'm bad with speaking. I ramble a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrissy-costanza/i-m-bad-with-speaking-i-ramble-a-lot/) [Chrissy Costanza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrissy-costanza/) > [It's amazing how I can just ramble on for hours, isn't it? And so unentertaining or uninteresting. But I can ramble on for hours.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-norton/it-s-amazing-how-i-can-just-ramble-on-for-hours-isn-t-it-and-so/) [Graham Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-norton/) > [Too many comics today ramble. By the time they get to the punch line, the audience has either gone to sleep, gone to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/too-many-comics-today-ramble-by-the-time-they-get-to-the-punch-line/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [London is like a dream come true. As I ramble through it I am haunted by the curious feeling of something half-forgotten, but still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-fort-newton/london-is-like-a-dream-come-true-as-i-ramble-through-it-i-am-haunted/) [Joseph Fort Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-fort-newton/) > [Sometimes you just need one person, who will let you talk and ramble, listen to you complain and look like an idiot, but still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-you-just-need-one-person-who-will-let-you-talk-and-ramble/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For me, writing is not a search for explanations but a ramble in quest of what informs a place, a hunt for equivalents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-least-heat-moon/for-me-writing-is-not-a-search-for-explanations-but-a-ramble-in-quest/) [William Least Heat-Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-least-heat-moon/) > [“Thoughts ramble through my head like nervous burglars in a pitch-black house.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orhan-pamuk/thoughts-ramble-through-my-head-like-nervous-burglars-in-a-pitch/) [Orhan Pamuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orhan-pamuk/) > [If I had to describe my remarks this evening frankly as if I were in police court and on oath, so to speak I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/if-i-had-to-describe-my-remarks-this-evening-frankly-as-if-i-were-in/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) ## More by Kurt Vonnegut > [“You must bloom as a writer and I must bloom as a painter. Everything else about us is uninteresting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/you-must-bloom-as-a-writer-and-i-must-bloom-as-a-painter-everything/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“People aren't supposed to look back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/people-aren-t-supposed-to-look-back/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Have a good nap, did you?” said the porter. “Yes,” said Billy. “Man,” said the porter, “you sure had a hard-on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/have-a-good-nap-did-you-said-the-porter-yes-said-billy-man-said-the/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“I told him that if we doubted that we are demons in Hell, he should read The Mysterious Stranger, which Mark Twain wrote in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-told-him-that-if-we-doubted-that-we-are-demons-in-hell-he-should/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [ “Thomas Jefferson High School \[..\] His high school was named after a slave owner who was also one of the world’s greatest theoreticians on… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/thomas-jefferson-high-school-his-high-school-was-named-after-a-slave/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“I had a certain amount of skill as a dramatist, and Dr. Goebbels wanted me to use it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-had-a-certain-amount-of-skill-as-a-dramatist-and-dr-goebbels-wanted/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [I was some of the mud that got to sit up and look around. Lucky me, lucky mud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-was-some-of-the-mud-that-got-to-sit-up-and-look-around-lucky-me/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“The town was Newport, Rhode Island, U.S.A., Earth, Solar System, Milky Way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/the-town-was-newport-rhode-island-u-s-a-earth-solar-system-milky-way/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Her face was one of a kind, a surprising variation that made observers think, Yes--that would be another very nice way for people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/her-face-was-one-of-a-kind-a-surprising-variation-that-made-observers/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“You finally fell in love, I see,” said Salo. “Only an Earthling year ago,” said Constant. “It took us that long to realize that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/you-finally-fell-in-love-i-see-said-salo-only-an-earthling-year-ago/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Like all Earthlings at the point of death, Mary Young sent faint reminders of herself to those who had known her. She released a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/like-all-earthlings-at-the-point-of-death-mary-young-sent-faint/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“And contrast Mary Kathleen, if you will, with my wife Ruth, the Ophelia of the death camps, who believed that even the most intelligent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/and-contrast-mary-kathleen-if-you-will-with-my-wife-ruth-the-ophelia/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Someday, someday, this crazy world will have to end, And our God will take things back that He to us did lend. And if,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/someday-someday-this-crazy-world-will-have-to-end-and-our-god-will/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“They were going back to the slaughterhouse for souvenirs of the war.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/they-were-going-back-to-the-slaughterhouse-for-souvenirs-of-the-war/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“There are plenty of good reasons for fighting," I said, "but no good reason ever to hate without reservation, to imagine that God Almighty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/there-are-plenty-of-good-reasons-for-fighting-i-said-but-no-good/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) [Explore all 2,089 Kurt Vonnegut quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) [Christopher K. Krebs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-k-krebs/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) [Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/) > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "1. Find a subject you care about. 2. Do not ramble, though. 3. Keep it simple. 4. Have the guts to cut. 5. Sound like yourself. 6. Say what you mean to say. 7. 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